Friday, September 18, 2009

Children's Learning Styles for Swimming - Kids are Kenisetic

Most Kids and Adults are Kinesthetic!

Well at least it seems that way to me. I'm not suggesting that any of the other stuff I've written under the heading "Children's Learning Styles for Swimming" is incorrect, I'm just saying that most kids do a significant element of their learning Kinesthetically.

Everybody often needs physical touch to be able to comprehend. For example, say a child is be having trouble keeping their knees underwater when they are doing backstroke and hence their kick is not efficient. Try walking with them as they swim, holding your hand at the water surface. Now every time the students knees leave the water they touch your hand.

I know this can be done with the kickboard

But often that doesn't convey the message because they lift it out when they are learning.

Another example is when trying to correct the breathing head position. Gently placing the students head in the correct position for breathing makes a big difference to a swimmers understanding of how to place your head. You need to do this Gently and repeatedly and often. You Must be gentle however so that you don't hurt their neck for one thing. But more importantly, a lot of students find putting their face in the water threatening enough let alone someone else doing it for them.

The examples go on:

- lifting your students arms over in the correct timing for both back and front stroke.
- holding or moving feet or hips in position so that they are in the correct position for the stroke.
- Doing backstroke, breaststroke, front stroke (freestyle), etc with them so that they get a feel of how their arms should go.